Advanced Ocular Imaging: Color Blindness

Purpose of study:

The purpose of this study is to examine retinal structure in individuals with color blindness.

What is color blindness?

Color blindness is a name given to the condition where individuals have problems discriminating different colors. True color blindness is quite rare and is actually called achromatopsia. What is generally referred to when someone says they are color blind is that they have a color vision defect. This does not mean they do not see color, just that they cannot differentiate certain pairs of colors. This is usually an inherited condition, and males are more often affected than females. Two general forms of color vision defects are red-green and blue-yellow, with the red-green form being much more common.

What is involved?

This non-invasive imaging study may include one or more visits to the Eye Institute. Research volunteers will be asked to complete an ocular health questionnaire and a series of vision tests, and may be asked to give a blood sample to test for the mutations that cause color blindness. In addition, we will use various imaging devices to take pictures of the eye - including optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus photography, and adaptive optics retinal imaging. At least one eye will be dilated during the visit. There is no direct health benefit to research volunteers. Each visit typically takes about 3 hours.

Compensation:

Research volunteers will receive $15 per hour for their time.

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you meet these criteria.

You are at least 5 years old.

A doctor has told you that you have a color vision deficiency or are color blind.

You are willing and able to provide informed consent.

More Information:

Additional information about the Advanced Ocular Imaging Program can be found here.